Good lord she’s perfect.
“Can you…”
“Something wrong?”
“I was just wondering how fast you can go.”
Luxume’s eyes went from black and white to pure white. Her lips turned into a happy smile. “Teleportation is for scrubs.”
Of course it is.
“Oh, oh, you just reminded me that I’m supposed to be somewhere! Ah, damn it, Lux! Don’t forget important meetings!”
This might be my chance – “Lieutenant General Luxeme –”
She waved her hand. “I hate it when I’m called that. It’s Lux. Or Luxe. Or Deluxe when I’m feeling sexy.”
“…” I cleared my throat. “Lux –”
She squealed. “You called me Lux!”
“You said that’s what I should call you!”
“Yes, yes, I tell everyone to do it but no one ever does it! Everyone’s like, no Lt. General Luxeme, that’s too informal or I’m sorry Lt. General Luxume, I can’t do that. You’re the first one to actually do it!”
Great job, doubt she’ll forget you now. “I wanted to ask about the Planewalker that was detected.”
Luxeme’s eyes flashed red, literally. There was a hint of bloodlust in her gaze that set me on edge. “Oh? Tell me why? Call me curious.”
“I was thinking why a nightmare would ever want to break in, and if we had enough to make sure that if one did get in, they wouldn’t be able to get out.”
“Ooh, ambitious are you? Do you want to track down the Planewalker? Tut tut. To think a newbie recruit wants to hunt my prey.”
My heart skipped a beat. For all the wrong and right reasons.
“Come again?”
Luxeme reached out, patting me on the head. “Don’t worry about it, Neo. We don’t know how the Planewalker got in and out with all of Hop’s anti-space distortion thingamajigs, but it doesn’t matter. Now that Lux is on the job, the naughty nightmare is as good as dead. I’ve never had a nightmare escape me in the fourteen years I’ve been in the AAA, and I certainly won’t start now.”
“That’s great!”
“It is!” she chirped. “Now, you go on and focus on increasing your kill count surviving your First Mission. You’re in the Lance Brigade right? I heard Hop’s got it out for you guys because you guys got the Godscript when you weren’t ready. The First Mission will cut your numbers by more than three quarters, so make sure to confess any lingering crushes and get reimbursed for any outstanding debts!”
“I’ll be sure to remember that.”
“All right!” She snapped her fingers, and I flinched, giving a gritted smile. People passing by jumped away in shock from what must have been to them, our sudden appearance.
“Why are you so scared of finger-snapping?”
“Bad memories.”
“Then be sure to make lots of good ones while here! And try to stay alive Neo!”
In a yellow flash of light, Luxeme was gone. The overwhelming pressure that had been centered on my shoulders lifted and I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. I clutching at my mouth to stop myself from drooling because I knew it would make an impossible sight.
Luxeme smelled divine.
There was the scent of something I’d never perceived in my lifetime, but my instincts told me that the scent was the scent of light. I did not understand how light had a smell, but all I knew was that the smell was unearthly.
I want to eat her.
I found it worrying that I had two different meanings in mind when I thought that. Sighing, I shook off the sensation, my lips twitching in amusement from the memory. I made a beeline in a random direction, all the while ignoring the rapid beating of my heart.
Alamir is filled with all sorts of monsters.
And I’d just met the most beautiful one of them all.
Chapter 23: Camaraderie
“You came.”
The time was 15:00 on the 12th day of the month of the Sycophant, 2141AE. Advanced Era, or Automagical Era, as others preferred. It was on this day, against my better judgment, I found myself standing in front of Mess Hall 7 in Sector One-Zero-One, an AAA Training Facility doubling as a major base.
“Disappointed?”
Juma smiled, his shoulders lifting and dropping. “I didn’t think you would.” He gestured in. “Come on. Let’s head in and get some lunch. Though, you look like you could use a drink.”
I thought over my words. “I just met Lt. General Luxeme.”
“Ah,” Juma said. “Let’s make that seven drinks then.”
My lips twitched. “I take it you know what she’s like?”
“I’ve heard the rumors. Two guys from the Saber Division met the Lt. General two weeks ago. They became the Captain and Vice-Captain this week. Their Kill Count went up, unlike anything.” Juma sighed. “The Lt. General doesn’t have a filter. She says whatever she thinks and that’s that. It got out that she said she’d marry whoever could beat her record. The number of collective Kill Counts skyrocketed unlike anything that day alone.”
I couldn’t help the smile that came on my face. “Can’t say I don’t understand.”
Juma hummed. “Still doesn’t mean you can beat her record.”
I sighed. “Give me some alcohol to wash off the bitter sting of my impossible task.”
Juma laughed. “Can’t drink on duty. Have to wait till sundown to get properly sloshed.”
“Food, then. Grant me food as an offering to placate my sorrows.”
“That, we have plenty of. Come on.”
Mess Hall 7 was more beautiful than it had any right to be. Long, spacious corridors. Benches with enough room to sit ten on one side and ten on the other. Chefs in pristine white outfits, complete with hairnets and gloves. Upon entry, my nostrils immediately picked up the smell of different varieties and species of meat and spices. As a Ghilan I was an obligate carnivore like a dog or cat. I could eat other things apart from meat, yes, but I wouldn’t truly get any nutrition from
